Mark Vieau - Blind Love / Say a Prayer. 1993 USA-Texas

Picked this one up because it's from our old stomping grounds south of DFW, and this is a complete unknown! Whitney, Texas is not the place you'd expect to find a hip label, yet they had dozens of similar releases in the late 80s and early 90s. This is a very professional recording, not the usual private press fodder. Music can best be described as hair metal meets pop rock. A little later than what I normally collect, but this one is a cool little oddity.

Own. Online acquisition (2021).

5/2/21 (first listen); 2/5/22 (review); 1/1/25 (new entry)

Everyone's Daughter - Take Me Home / Get To You. 1986 USA

First side recalls Iron Maiden with its galloping guitars and dual solos. Other side is more in the Dio / Malmsteen mold. Former auctions suggest the band is female - or at least the singer. Can't find too much about the group. In any case, a good two sider for metal fans.

Own. Thrift shop find (2022).

9/26/22 (first listen / review); 1/1/25 (new entry)

2 Plus 2 - Two Girls / Stay Around Me. 1985 USA-Pennsylvania

Music is fairly dumbo hair metal. "Two girls for every guy" being the thought provoking chorus, sung over and over. Not too bad though. Decent riffing. Some crack research turned up bupkis. The label address is in Sellersville, which sits in between Allentown and Philadelphia.

Own. Online acquisition (2022)

12/18/22 (first listen / review); 1/1/25 (new entry)

Ground Attack - Red Lion / Every Mother's Son. 1981 England

Though associated with the NWOBHM movement. Ground Attack sound more like a standard issue early 80s hard rock band. Not very heavy or original, the two tunes here blow by without much notice. A little AC/DC can be heard on the B side. 

11/25/24

Caretaker - Rampage / Sin Trips. 1981 USA-Illinois

From Zion, Illinois (on the shores of Lake Michigan bordering Wisconsin). Pretty cool phased riffing opener. Goes into a more straightforward early metal styled track. Still like the phasing throughout. Four minute song that is two minutes longer than it needs to be. B) side catches Judas Priest in their British Steel stride. Nice guitar soloing on this one, and I like the hyperactive drumming as if there's no tomorrow (there probably wasn't). Pretty good rendition of the style I'd submit. 

4/15/24

3.0 / 3.5

Flyte - Movin' Faster / Don't You. 1983 USA-Michigan

From the Christian southern Michigan town of Hillsdale. This isn't that haha. Starts off in cock rock mode with light metal riffing and doesn't really develop. B) Tells us they "like to rock". No way, really? Boogie metal I guess. This song is really dumb. 

4/15/24

2.0 / 1.5

Monarch - All I Wanted Was You / Love of Yesterday. 1982 USA-Washington DC

When I first stumbled onto this at a thrift shop, I thought it was an unknown soul 45. Just look at the song titles. Never would have thought heavy metal! Now this isn't super heavy by any means, it's on the melodic side, more typical of the early 80s American metal scene. Think Quiet Riot. But the lead guitar is excellent throughout, and the songs are well written - enough so, I'm keeping it!  After some lengthy research I discovered the band were from the DC area.

Ownership: SP: 1982 National. Thrift shop find (2020). There is a picture sleeve for this, but unfortunately the copy we found didn't have it. These photos are my copy - and added to Discogs many months ago.

3/28/20 (first listen); 2/28/21 (review / new entry)

Musical Science - Frame of Mind / Secrets.1983 USA-South Carolina

Pretty much what the genre tag offers is what you get with Musical Science. It's not exactly Thomas Dolby styled new wave, but one almost gets the sense that his music played a role here. But the oddity is the metal guitar. It's not super heavy, even by 1983 standards, but it's a definite contrast to what is normally expected with music such as this. In retrospect, it appears that Musical Science should have been one of the bands to get signed. They had the right sound for the era, and good songwriting. Probably coming from Anderson, South Carolina didn't help...

Ownership: SP: 1983 Underground Sound. Online acquisition (2020)

5/11/20 (first listen); 9/20/20 (review / new entry)